Change-speed mechanism.



R. MILNE.

CHANGE SPEED MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 3, 1911.

Patented Nov. 7, 1911.

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INVENTOR R. MILNE. CHANGE SPEED MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 3, 1911.

Patented Nov. 7, 1911.

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WIT SSES COLUMBIA PLANOGIAPH c0., WASHINGTON. D. c.

R. MILNE. CHANGE SPEED MEGHANISML APPLICATION FILED JAN. 3, 1911.

Patented Nov. 7, 1911.

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R. MILNB.

CHANGE SPEED MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 3, 191;.

Patefited Nov, 7, 1911.

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WIT SSES I Q E z I CO.,WASHINOTON D C noLIJMBlA PIANDGRAPH UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT MILNE, 0F ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO ROCKFORD DRILLING MACHINE 00., OF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

CHANGE-SPEED MECHANISM.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ROBERT M1LNE, a

citizen of the United States, residing at- Rockford, in the county of Vinnebago and.

State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Change-Speed nism for enabling the speed of rotation of the spindle of the ordinary drill press to be varied, and for controlling the degree of.

variation to produce the speed desired.

to arrange two independent sets of different slzed gears, each of which is capable of being adjusted to produce varying speeds in' the rotation of the drill spindle; and to arrange these different sized gears in compact and close relation to one another, whereby the handles or other contrivances for shifting the gears will lie in close proximity and hence will be within convenient reach of the operator.

Further objects of the invention are, to provide a single member for shifting one set of the diiferent sized gears, which, with the same movement that accomplishes the shifting of the gears, will move an intermediate gear. out of mesh with the difierent sized gears to permit of the shifting of said sets of different sized gears; to provide means for centering and locking this shiftable member in its various positions; and to provide an indicator which will determine the proper position of the gears to obtain the desired speed.

The invention further consists in the features of construction and the combination; Fig. 5, a detail of the cone gears; Figs.

6 and 7, diagrammatic views showing the connection between the cone gear and the driven shaft; Fig. 8, a detail of the shiftable member engaging the cone gear; Fig. 9, a sectional detail showing the stepped gears and their connection to the sleeve on which Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 3, 1911.

' kinds of work. The objects of the present invention are,

Patented Nov. '7, 1911.

Serial No. 600,553.

they are mounted; Fig. 10, a detail showing the universal connection between the arm upon which the intermediate gear is mounted and the bar for actuating said gear; Fig. 11, a detail of the shiftable member for actuating the cone gear; and Fig. 12, an enlarged section on line 1212 of Fig. 11, looking in the direction of the arrow.

In the operation of drill presses, it is desirable to change the speed of rotation of the drill spindle in order to conform to the conditions most desirable in the difi'erent It is the intention of the present invention to provide a ratio between a set of different sized gears, which ratio will remain more or less fixed, and this establishes a certain set relation between the speed of rotation of the driving and driven shafts. This ratio can, of course, be changed, but it is the intention to fix this ratio when the device is to be used upon certain kinds of work, and to leave it in this fixed condition until all of the work in this particular class is completed, although it is understood that this set of different sized gears may, if desired, be utilized for the purpose of effecting a change speed when the same kind of work is being done. It is the further intention of the invention to supply a second set of different sized gears which will be shifted at more frequent intervals than the first mentioned set of diiferent sized gears, and this second set of gears will produce various degrees of speed between the driving and driven shafts. So, in the present construction, an arrangement of gears isprovided which will give a predetermined relation of speed between the driving and driven shafts, and an arrangement ofgears is provided which will change this predetermined speed as desired.

The mechanism shown and claimed may, of course, be used with devices other than drill spindles without departing from the spirit of the invention, the drill spindle being shown and described solely for illustrative purposes in order to disclose one means of applying the present invention.

The device in use is applied to a framework 13 of an ordinary drill press, which framework may be of any suitable and well known type of construction; and the device,

as shown, is positioned adjacent the driving gears 14 of a drill spindle 1%. One of the gears 14 is attached to a shaft 15, which is journaled within a bearing 16 carried by the frame 13. The shaft 15 has secured to it a stepped gear 17, comprising a relatively large gear 18 and a relatively small gear 19. Located below the shaft 15 is a stub shaft or rod 20, which is fixedly held within suitable bearings 21 secured to the drill press frame. Loosely mounted upon the shaft 20 is a sleeve 22, which has gear teeth 23 formed in a portion of its periphery, and which teeth constitute what will be termed a pinion, secured to the sleeve; and keyed to the sleeve 22, in a manner to be slidable longitudinally thereon, is a set of stepped gears 24 comprisin g a relatively large gear and a relatively small gear 26 spaced apart from one another.

As best shown in Fig. 1, the gear 25 is designed and positioned to mesh with the gear 19 when the stepped gears 24 are shifted to one position; and the gear 26 is designed and positioned to mesh with the gear 17 when the stepped gears 24 are shifted to another position. The shifting of the gears 25 and 26 is brought about by the movements of a rod 27, provided with a bent end 28, which provides a finger piece therefor. The rod has fixed upon one end thereof a stirrupshaped member 29, which straddles a portion of the gear 26. It will be readily seen that the movement back and forth longitudinally of itself of the rod 27 will move the gears and 26 into the position desired, by reason. of the connection between the gears and the rod, which, as shown, is brought about by the stirrup-shaped member 29. When the gears 19 and 25 are in mesh, an increase in the speed of rotation of the shaft- 15 will be produced over the speed brought about when the gears 17 and 26 are in mesh, as will be seen from a study of Fig. 1. The gears and 26 are spaced apart so that but one of them at a. time can be in mesh with one of the gears upon the shaft 15. Obviously, a meshing of both of the gears of the stepped gear 24 at the same instant with both of the gears of the stepped gear 17 would result in a stripping of one or the other of said gears.

Loosely mounted upon the shaft 20 is an arm 30, one end of which carries a pin 31, upon which is loosely mounted a gear 32. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the pin extends beyond the gear 32, and at its end is provided with a lug or boss 33, which is secured thereto and depends downwardtherefrom; and the arm 35 is secured to the lug by means of a pin 36, which permits of a swinging of the arm about the pin. By this arrangement of the lug and pivoted arm, a swinging connection is provided between the arm 35 and pin 31. As more clearly shown in Figs. 6 and 7,the gear 32 is adapted to mesh with any of the various gears comprising a cone gear 37, which is splined to a shaft 38 to permit movement of said cone gear transversely of said shaft 38, which in the present instance may be termed the driving shaft.

The shaft 38 is actuated through the medium of a series of bevel gears 39, shown in Fig. 1, which method of actuation is old and well known in the drill press art. As heretofore stated, the gear 32 is mounted upon the arm 30; and the arm 30 is loosely mounted upon the stub shaft 20 and swings around the center of this shaft as its pivotal center. The gear 32 is adapted to mesh with the pinioned surface 23 of the sleeve 22; and since the arm 30 is swinging around the center of the shaft 20, it follows that any member carried by this arm will maintain the same relative distance from the center of the shaft 20 during the movements of the arm 30. Hence, the gear being a member carried by the arm 30, will remain in constant engagement with the pinioned surface 23 during all of the movements of the arm.

The gear 32 is an idler gear and is used for the purpose of making a connection between the cone gears and the pinion 23. Of course, it is necessary in a gear serving this function, to arrange it so that it may be raised and lowered in order to accommodate itself to the various surfaces of the cone gears, hence the necessity of the swing ing arm 30. In Fig. 3, the gear is shown as resting upon and in mesh with the largest of the cone gears. In this position, a relatively slow speed of movement is maintained between the shaft 38 and the sleeve 22, since the gears 32 and the cone gear with which it is meshing are approximately the same size. When, however, the gear 32 is swung into the position shown in Fig. 7, a relatively fast movement is then brought about between the shaft 38 and the sleeve 22, since in this position the gear is in mesh with a gear of reduced size thereto; and thus the feed of the drill spindle is materially increased.

The cone gear is slid upon the shaft 38 by a shiftable member 40, best shown in Figs. 1 and 5, and embodies a sleeve-like portion 41, which is slidably mounted upon a fixed stub shaft or rod 42. The sleevelike portion 41 is provided with a yokelike member 43, which engages with one of the gears of the cone gear, as best shown in Fig. 5. The sleeve-like portion 40 is provided with an offset section 44, which is provided with an opening 45, through which the bar 35 projects; and, as best shown in Fig. 12, the walls of the opening 45, adjacent to which the bar 35 rests, are formed so as to permit of a swinging movement of the bar within the opening, as is necessary to enable it to perform its functions, but at the same time the bar is not permitted to swing free in said opening. The sleeve-like portion 41 is provided with a pointer or index member 46, which travels across a surface 17 on a housing as, which surrounds the cone gears; and the surface 17 is provided with a series of characters 4:9, denoting the various speeds which certain arrangements of the gearings will produce. In order to hold the bar 35 in the desired position of adjustment, a slotted plate 50 is provided, which is fixedly secured to the frame of the machine, or otherwise attached, and said plate is formed with a series of stepped slots 51, best shown in Fig. 1, each of which slots is adapted to receive a pin 52 on the bar 35.

The operation is as follows: The stepped gears 17 and 24: are first adjusted in the desired relative position to give the desired ratio of speed between the sleeve 22 and the shaft 15. The cone gears are then adjusted to give the desired ratio of speed between the shaft 38 and the sleeve 22. This is done by moving the cone gears along the shaft 28 until the indicator registers with the characters designating the speed desired. This is done by the actuation of the bar 35. Just prior to the actuation of the bar 35 to shift the cone gear along the shaft 38, the gear 32 will be raised out of mesh with the cone gear with which it is meshing to permit of such shifting movement. Owing to the formation of the plate 50, an upward movement of the bar 35 will always be necessary before a swinging movement can take place. This is owing to the fact that the pin 52 will have to be raised to clear the slot 51 before the bar can be swung. The upward movement of the bar will, of course, throw the gear 32 out of mesh with the gear of the cone gear with which it has been engaged; and after this disengagement, the cone gear will be free to move transversely of the shaft 38, as desired.

It will be noted that there is a swinging connection between the bar 35 and the pin 31, and that the recess 45 is of such a nature as to permit of a rocking of the bar 35 therewithin. Thus, sufficient play is given to the bar to permit of the swinging and lifting movements necessarily imparted thereto during its actuations. It will also be noticed that the slots 51 are in stepped relation to one another. This provides a 'means for accurately gaging the required amount of depression of the arm 30 necessary in order to bring the gear wheel 32 into mesh with the stepped gear desired. WVhen the proper gear of the cone gears has been brought into mesh with the gear 32, a connection between the shaft 38 and the shaft 15 is brought about through the medium of the cone gear, the gear 32, the pinion 23, and one of the gears of the stepped gears 24 meshing with one of the gears of the stepped gear 17 which will give the desired relative speed between the shaft 38 and the shaft 15.

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a drive shaft and a driven shaft, a cone gear splined to one of said shafts, a pivoted member, a gear on the pivoted member, meshing with the cone gear, a gear on the other shaft, and a set of sliding gears connecting the last mentioned gear and the gear on the pivoted member, substantially as described.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a drive shaft and a driven shaft, a cone gear splined to one of said shafts, a step gear on the other shaft, a geared connection between the cone gear and the step gear, embodying a set of slidable gears meshing with the step gear, a pinion for rotating said slidable gears, and a swinging gear between said pinion and cone gear, substantially as described.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a drive shaft and a driven shaft, a cone gear splined to one of said shafts, a step gear on the other shaft, a geared connection between the cone gear and the step gear, embodying a 'set of slidable gears meshing with the step gear, a pinion for rotating said slidable gear, a swinging gear between said pinion and cone gear, and a shiftable member for moving said sliding gears, substantially as described.

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a drive shaft and a driven shaft, a cone gear splined to one of said shafts, a step gear on the other shaft, a geared connection between the cone gearand the step gear, said connection embodying a set of slidable gears meshing with the step gear, a pinion for rotating said slidable gears, a swinging gear between said pinion and cone gear, a slidable rod, and a yoke member carried by the slidable rod and engaging with one of the slidable gears, substantially as described.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination of a drive shaft and a driven shaft, a cone gear splined to one of said shafts, a stepped gear on the other of said shafts, a train of gears connecting the cone gear and stepped gear, said train embodying a set of slidable gears meshing with the stepped gear, a sleeve on which the slidable gears are splined, a rod on which said sleeve is mounted, a pinion secured to said sleeve, an arm mounted on said rod, a gear attached to said arm and connecting said pinion and cone gear, a bar attached to said arm, a shiftable yoked member engaging with the cone gear, and a connection between said bar and yoked member, whereby a movement of the bar longitudinally of itself raises the gear carried by the arm from engagement with the cone gear, and a sidewise movement of the arm shifts the cone gear along the drive shaft, said bar swinging during its sidewise movements about its point of connection with the arm, substantially as described.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination of a drive shaft and a driven shaft, a cone gear splined to one of said shafts, a train of gears between said shafts, said train embodying a gear mounted upon a swinging member, a bar having its upper end joined to said member with a swinging connection, a shiftable yoked member engaging the cone gear, a rod upon which said shiftable member slides, said yoked memher being provided with a lug having an opening through which said bar passes, and means for locking the bar in desired positions, substantially as described.

7. In a device of the class described, the combination of a drive shaft and a driven shaft, a cone gear splined to one of said shafts, a train of gears between said shafts, said train embodying a gear mounted upon a swinging arm, a bar having its upper end joined to said arm with a swinging connection, a shiftable yoked member engaging the cone gear, a rod upon which said shiftable member slides, said yoked member having a lug provided with an opening through which said bar passes, a plate having a plurality of slots therein arranged in stepped relation, and a pin 011 the bar adapted to enter said slots, substantially as described.

8. In a device of the class described, the combination of a drive shaft and a driven shaft, a cone gear splined to one of said shafts, a train of gears between said shafts, said't 'ain embodying a gear mounted upon a swinging arm, a bar having its upper end joined to said arm with a swinging connection, a shiftable yoked. member engaging the cone gear, a rod upon which said shiftable member slides, said shiftable member having a lug provided with an opening through which said bar passes, a plate having a plurality of slots therein arranged in stepped relation, a pin on the bar adapted to enter said slots, a casing surrounding the cone gear, having a surface provided with a plurality of characters indicating various speeds, and a pointer carried by the shiftable yoked member adapted to traverse said surface, substantially as described.

9. In a device of the class described, the combination of a drive shaft and a driven shaft, a cone gear splined to one of said shafts, a step gear on the other shaft, a geared connection between the cone gear and the step gear, embodying a set of slidable gears meshing with the step gear, a pinion for rotating said slidable gear, a swinging gear between said pinion and cone gear, a shiftable member for moving said slidable e5 gears, and a shiftable member adapted to first raise the swinging gear and then slide the cone gear, substantially as described.

10. In a device of the class described, the combination of a drive shaft and a driven 7 shaft, a cone gear splined to one of said shafts, a step gear on the other shaft, a geared connection between the cone gear and the step gear, said connection embodying a set of slidable gears meshing with the step gear, a pinion for rotating said slidable gears, a swinging gear between said pinion and cone gear, a slidable rod, a yoke member carried by the slidable rod and engaging with one of the slidable gears, and a movable bar adapted, upon its initial movement, to throw the swinging gear out of mesh with one gear, and upon further movement to shift the cone gear along the drive shaft, substantially as described.

ROBERT MILNE.

/Vitnesses:

WM. P. BOND, MARY R. Fnosn Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

